Carl Jung first coined the term archetype in 1919 in an essey called Instinct and the Unconscious. His idea was that there are primeval types in our subconscius which form into images in individual minds. These images are different, but the archetype can be recognized.

The Rebel and Other Types collects ten common archetypes into a form playable in roleplaying games. These types should be usable in any game, and are meant to complement character creation rather than replace it.